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Ammanford residents express concerns over sports plan

AMMANFORD residents left town councillors in no doubt over their strong feelings about the future of the town’s sporting and recreational facilities at an occasionally stormy meeting at a packed Pensioners Hall last night.

The meeting – to highlight the possibility of the town council taking over the running of the town’s parks and sporting facilities – saw heated exchanges over the impact this would have on ratepayers.

Mayor Irena Hopkins said the council would probably have to employ a technical officer, while Cllr Colin Evans revealed “savage” cuts in spending passed down from central government would even impact on services the lo - cal authority was legally obliged to provide.

“The elephant is no longer sitting on the doorstep – it’s now sitting in the front room with us and won’t go away,” he said.

Former town councillor Jane Potter said rates would inevitably increase.

“The park and Recreation Ground were given to the people of Ammanford – the county council should ensure they have enough money to maintain them,” she added.

“Are they going to decrease their council tax?

"We need answers. The town council shouldn’t let the county treat them like idiots.”

Deputy mayor Jonathan Jennings felt a lack of resources had left the town council in an impossible position. “But if nothing is taken on, everything will be shut down,” he warned.

“We’d need a dramatic increase in the precept to cover the public facilities foisted upon us.”

Mr Steve Davies, of College Street, said sporting facilities were crucial to the town’s wellbeing. “If our children are deprived of sports clubs they’ll become a potential problem,” he said.

Mr Emyr John, of Glanyrafon, said: “Ammanford Park services a much wider area than the town itself and the county council should continue to run it."

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